New Year
by Xekstrin
Summary: It's been a year since Shizuma graduated, and now she's back for Family Day! But when she returns, some things are different about her true love and the school where she was free to be herself.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: For those of you screaming "SHIZUMA IS SO OOC!" I want you to take a good long look at the last ten minutes of the final episode of Strawberry Panic. Shizuma gets over her emotional angst at the end and she's really awesome and girly…. In a good way, of course. "Nagisa! I love you! Let's go." And then she grabs Nagisa by the hand and they run away together and Nagisa is like, "Now what?" and Shizuma goes, "…um.." and Nagisa is like "You mean you don't have a plan?" and Shizuma is all "blush blush Well I just thought of stealing you back just now!" And then they kiss! Yay!

OK, enough of that. Not much happens in this chapter. But those who know me know something twisted will happen soon… something involving… something that hasn't happened yet in the StoPani universe!

(The truth is I'm still having trouble deciding between two possible outcomes. Bear with me while I think of plot twists.)

Oh yeah- And Kizuna makes Remon moan. You'll see. Gawd, I love writing cheesy stuff like this.

Chikaru: Dragonwings144 doesn't own me or Strawberry Panic!

Enjoy!

**OoOoOoOo**

When she arrived at the Strawberry Dorms, no one recognized her. In fact, no one even noticed her, what with the sudden influx of guests to the dorms. The late morning, usually quiet while the students were in their classes, was abuzz with energy and excitement that the silver haired woman did not share. Her only passion wasn't there, and so she couldn't join in the festivities. Navigating her way through the crowds, she marveled at how the normal tranquility of the dorms had changed in the year she had been gone.

She placed a hand over her chest where a large white sticker had been plastered on, reading in big red letters: GUEST.

It was true. She was a stranger here now that she had graduated. So much of a stranger that when she knocked on the familiar wooden door to Nagisa's room, she was surprised to see that the living arrangements had been turned completely upside down.

A barely pubescent girl opened the door with a flourish, throwing her arms wide. She was wearing bright purple pajamas with bunny prints tracked all over in toxic green. "You made it!" she said, joyfully. But when she saw who was standing outside her door- not her family visiting as she had thought it was- she paled and froze in place, her arms still akimbo.

"Shi… Shi… Shi…Shi…." she said, the color rushing rapidly back into her face until she was as bright as a tomato. "Shizu- Shizu- Etoile- I- I mean Shizuma-sama!" she yelped, slamming the door shut in Shizuma's face. Shizuma crossed her arms, smirking as she heard loud clangs and bumps inside as the second year tried to clean up her room and get dressed at the same time. After perhaps five minutes of this, a much disheveled Chiyo Tsukidate burst out of the room, looking as though her head was spinning. Her black Miator dress still had wrinkles in it and the tie was skewed. "I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else! Have you seen Nagisa yet? No? But then… why are you here? I mean, at _my_ room of all places?"

"Chiyo-chan," the woman said, smiling down at her. Chiyo seemed surprised that the former Etoile even knew her name. "I thought this _was_ Nagisa's room…"

"It is!" Chiyo said, nodding her head violently. Then she slapped herself before shaking her head 'no'. "I- I mean, it isn't! It _was_, b-b-b-but now it's mi-m-mine." Her stuttering began anew as Shizuma straightened her tie. "Ah, th- thank you."

Feeling gleefully wicked at the reaction she was getting out of this girl, Shizuma patted her on the head, moving her hand down to pinch her cheek affectionately. "Not a problem, cutie," she said, provoking another scarlet blush to spread over Chiyo's face. The second-year completely stiffened up, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Oshibaru thinks Shizuma is confused."

A thin voice spoke up from somewhere behind Shizuma, who turned to see a waif-like girl standing in the hallways of the Dorms with a stuffed bear clutched tightly to her chest. She lifted the bear up to her ear, as if listening to it. "Oshibaru also wants to say that Shizuma is in his way."

Shizuma courteously stepped out of the way and Kagome walked into the room, Oshibaru trailing behind her. She plopped down on one of the three twin beds inside, resting the bear next to her as she looked at Shizuma still standing in the open doorway.

"Family Day is a new celebration in the Dorms," she told Oshibaru, tucking her legs under her. "The new Etoiles decided that it would help some of the younger children get over their homesickness as well as allow parents to see the condition of the school. Yes, I agree Oshibaru. It's a very good idea; it makes Chiyo happy to see her family."

Brushing past Chiyo who was still standing rigid as a statue, Shizuma bent down near the bed and spoke to Oshibaru. "And does Oshibaru have anything to say about where Shizuma might find Nagisa?"

Kagome fixed her with a serene, blank stare. "Oshibaru doesn't know," she said. "But I think Nagisa is further down, into the hall that used to belong to Spica School. Ever since the new Etoiles decided that the students shouldn't be separated by schools anymore, we've been organized by grade."

Shizuma's eyes lit up and she gave Kagome a hurried farewell before rocketing out the doorway so fast she almost forgot about Chiyo. Stepping back a few paces, she bent over and pecked her on the cheek. "Give your family my regards," she said into her ear, resisting the urge to cackle. That would be unseemly.

Chiyo nodded and bowed down from the waist, her hair hanging down in front of her face. "OK!" she squeaked.

**OoOoOoOo**

The girl set down the paintbrush and sat back in her stool, admiring her work with a pleased smile. It was a nature scene of a forest in the spring, with the light shining down on a particular slanted tree. The forest was a real place, as was the tree, but Nagisa didn't need to see it to be able to paint it. The place was forever sacred to her and she could pull it up in her mind's eye whenever she wanted, and remember why she waited.

She sighed, her smile drooping. Standing up, she stretched and wiped her paint-stained hands on her paint-stained apron, wishing the noise of the Family Festival outside would die out soon. All her friends were out there with their families, after introducing them to her of course. All of them had been amusing or embarrassing in some way, especially with Tamao, who had insisted that one day she would adopt her roommate and they would be sisters forever. The worst part was that her roommate's family actually seemed to think it would be a good idea.

"_This is Nagisa Aoi," she said, imperious yet charming. "And she's my best friend!"_

And that's all it would ever be. Even though Tamao would constantly let her know that she was available if Nagisa ever got tired of waiting for Shizuma. Ever. As in, _at all_. Even if it was just a little bit.

Nagisa's stomach growled, reminding her that it had been a while since she had had breakfast. She had sat down to paint after she had finished helping Tamao set up the fair earlier in the morning and hadn't gotten up since, and her body demanded refueling. Standing up and stretching, she made her way outside into the hallway, thinking that maybe the café wouldn't be too crowded if the third years were doing their job right. Third years were in charge of the food and beverages booths during the first day of the fair, while fourth and second years were in charge of games and the dunking booth (unfortunately Yaya drew the straw to see who would be dunked into the water). The second day it would be the first, fifth, and sixth years' turn while the others took a chance to spend time with their families.

And that's why Nagisa was in her room while everyone else was at the fair- her family was still abroad. Sighing again, she pulled off her apron and hung it on the desk. But she didn't get far out of her dorm room when a pair of hands clamped over her eyes, pulling her close. "Guess who…."

Nagisa struggled against the hands for a moment, wildly waving her arms in the air. "What the- Let me go!" she complained, trying to turn around. "Whoever this is, this isn't funny!"

"You mean you can't recognize me by my voice? Nagisa-chan..."

Nagisa stopped squirming for a moment, putting her hands on her hips in what she hoped was an intimidating way as she blindly stared into the darkness of her covered eyes. "Yaya-chan, is that you? Are you skipping out on your duties? You know I'm going to have to tell Hikari-sama that you're- eeek!" The person hooked a foot around her leg and tripped her, stooping down to catch her and heft her up just before she hit the floor. Nagisa gave a girlish shriek, clutching onto the person for dear life when she saw a familiar wisp of silver hair.

Shizuma was holding her like a child, one arm under her knees while the other was wrapped around her shoulders. "Well, hi."

"Shizuma-sama!"

"Oh, you remember me?" Shizuma asked her. "That's a relief."

Nagisa wrapped her arms around the woman's neck, resting her forehead in the hollow of her shoulder. "Of course I remember you!" she said, squeezing her and fighting back tears. Shizuma set her down on the ground and they embraced, arms encircling, giving and taking comfort for the pain of twelve months apart. "Of _course_ I do. I missed you- I missed you so much!" She held her tighter. "Shizuma…! You came back!"

Shizuma silenced her with a kiss.

"How…. CUTE!"

_Krrssh-snap_!

Shizuma and Nagisa started as a bright flash went off and a pair of giggles echoed through the empty halls. Two girls wearing the soft pink uniform typical for Lulim School students crowded around a Polaroid camera, one of them desperately shaking the photo for the image to appear.

"This'll look great on the cover of the school newspaper!" the one not holding the photo gushed, leaning over her friend's shoulder to get a good look. Her thin glasses slid down the bridge of her nose. Then she gave a moan of despair. "Kizuna-chan, your thumb is covering Shizuma-sama's face! I _told_ you I should have held the camera!"

"Psh…Shizuma-sama is old news!" Kizuna said, snorting impatiently and tossing the photo aside. She pointed directly at Shizuma, grinning from ear to ear. "She's the FORMER Etoile for a reason, you know."

Shizuma was suddenly very aware of the glaring red GUEST proudly plastered to her left breast.

Remon grabbed her friend by the front of her sailor fuku, shaking her madly. "That's not the point! Don't you see that? We're not doing what's popular, or with-it, or whatever! We're doing the truth! The truth, Remon-chan! As in, true love that transcends all barriers!" The third year let go of Remon's shirt, turning away and crouching over with her hands clasped to her throat. "And if we don't get a picture by the end of this week we'll be letting Chikaru-sama down! Oh, agony, AGONY!" Remon sank to the floor, a shadow seeming to cross over her face.

"There's a school paper?" Shizuma whispered to Nagisa.

"Lulim has clubs for everything, remember?" Nagisa whispered in response.

Meanwhile, Kizuna was busy trying to drag her friend away towards the fair. "It's OK, Remon-chan! We'll get another picture of true love soon, I know it! Heck, we could even use the current Etoiles. I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"But everyone knows about them! We need something fresh and original or else Chikaru-sama will think we're hacks! Ohhhhh…" she moaned again and they disappeared around the corner.

Nagisa sweat-dropped, putting her hands on her hips and smiling helplessly. "They're supposed to be helping the other third-years with the fair," she said, "But I don't have the heart to tell them not to work on their new project."

Shizuma's slightly bemused expression turned serious as she stared at Nagisa, something glimmering in the pools of her emerald eyes.

"What?" Nagisa said, crossing her arms defensively.

Shizuma fairly pounced on her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and laughing. "Look at you, acting so mature!" she teased, lifting Nagisa's chin with one slender finger.

Nagisa made an 'ack!' noise, waving her arms in the air. "Shizuma, my neck can't go that far back!" she said, but the taller girl ignored her.

"You think you can fool me acting like a perfect little fifth year, hmmm?"

Shizuma could still make her blush. "Well, I'm sixteen now so I need to start acting like it." The silver-haired woman smiled at that, closing her eyes and kissing the girl on her cheek. Nagisa blushed again, trying to continue explaining herself. "Or, y-you know, th- that's what T-Tamao-chan says…. Sh-_Shizuma_! Keep your hands to yourself, we're in public!"

Nagisa grabbed at the woman's roaming appendages, glancing all around her as if expecting Remon and Kizuna to show up again.

"Yes, public, of course," Shizuma said, gesturing at the empty hallways. She brought Nagisa's paint-stained hands up to her lips and gently kissed her fingertips. "Couples kiss in public all the time, Nagisa."

"_Couples_ do, but _Shizuma_ tends to forget herself," Nagisa said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her girlfriend on the lips to take away the sting of the reprimand. She could feel Shizuma's lips smiling against her own and couldn't help but giggle at the familiar sensation.

"I haven't seen you in a year," Shizuma reminded her, her mouth brushing lightly over Nagisa's closed eyelids as she explored more of the face she saw every night in her dreams. "If you want someone who'll behave after a year of abstinence then you fell in love with the wrong girl. And also… I wanted to say…"

Krrssh-snap!

Shizuma growled deep in her throat.

"Just act like we're not here!" Remon and Kizuna hissed from around the corner, readying the camera for a few more snapshots.

"Voyeurs…" Shizuma muttered, grabbing Nagisa's arm and dragging her back into her dorm room. "You're right; we need to continue this someplace private. I don't think I could stop myself if I try again and they're here to watch. Don't ask, you'll find out soon," she added, since Nagisa seemed confused at what Shizuma would have to 'stop'.

"Huh? But-" Nagisa's eyes widened suddenly. "Shizuma, you don't mean- but I- uh- I haven't even had lunch yet!"

"Don't fret so, my love. This won't take long ♥."

The rest of their conversation was cut off as the dorm room door slammed shut.

**OoOoOoOo**

**A/N**: (Because this is fanfiction we don't have to put up with that horrific ending sequence with the two voice actresses in Miator dresses. Now we can go straight to the preview for the next episode!)

Kizuna: Maybe we could rappel down the side of the building and hang outside their window to see what they're doing, Remon-chan!

Remon: Ah, I don't think those are the sort of photos Chikaru-sama would be interested in, Kizuna-chan…

Kizuna: Is _that_ what they're doing? Ew. But something tells me all's not how it seems with Shizuma and Nagisa… And it looks like the Family Fair is just getting started!

Remon: The new first-years are so cute! It's good to see how they and our older friends get along with their families, but of course things are crazy as usual in the Strawberry Dorms even with the parents around! A White Princess, a duel to the death, and a wet T-shirt? My goodness! All this and more-

Remon & Kizuna: -Next time on Strawberry Panic! "Old Faces, New Friends!"

Kizuna: I wish _we_ could take those sort of photos, Remon-chan…


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: Wow, it's hard to keep Amane in character. She can get pretty boring how chivalrous she is. And Nagisa... I'm trying, but I really don't care much for that character as she's portrayed in the show, so I might just take her and make her my own little fanfiction-friendly creation. Man... I am so bad... I can't believe I'm writing so much gay fiction practically every fanfiction has at LEAST trace amounts, and let's not forget that two of them are centered around the problems of two lesbians (Sheena and Raine). Not only that, I'm having _fun _writing it! My mother would keeeeeel me if she found out. Maybe this is my teenage rebellion stage? Better than doing drugs, I suppose.

Ahem anyway. I'm trying to keep things in the style of the anime- with that first portion told from the POV of one of the characters before the episode title is shown?? I dunno I think it's fun.

**OoOoOoOo**

_Today is the first day of the family day fair. All around you can see students celebrating with their families and friends, telling stories of days gone by..._

_My heart is racing. There is only one family that I'm concerned about today. _

_Strawberry Panic: New Year_

_Episode 2_

_"The White Princess"_

Hikari smoothed out her petite white skirt with her free hand, her other hand busy seeking out Amane's to squeeze it tightly. Other, more obvious signs of her anxiety were a flushed face and a quivering body. Around them both, the Family Day Fair was running smoothly, all of the girls were working extra hard when in sight of the two most important students in all three of the schools. None of them wanted to seem like they were slacking off. If they knew that the two Etoiles couldn't have been paying any less attention, perhaps they might not have wasted their time tiring themselves.

Amane and Hikari were standing near the gates as waves of parents and visitors came walking up the road.

"What if they don't like me?" she said in a hushed whisper to the older Etoile.

Amane shifted her hand so that she could twine her fingers with that of her love. "They'll love you," she said.

"But what if they _don't_?" Hikari hoped her voice wasn't as shrill as it seemed to her own ears.

The bluenette smiled. "Let's not dwell on worst-case scenarios, Hikari."

Hikari let go of Amane's hand to grip at her angelic blond locks, her eyes wide. "It's not!" she said, shaking her head and blushing furiously. "It's not worst-case... it's perfectly, reasonably possible that they don't like me, or we don't get along, or I might say something really stupid like I did when I sang for you that first time in the chorus!" Hikari still felt ready to bury herself in the nearest hole every time she remembered that night. "Amane-sempai, I think I'm going to faint the second I introduce myself."

"You will not," Amane said. "They're already here." Hikari made a noise like "eek" and compulsively latched onto Amane's hand again. "Hey, hey, don't worry," the bluenette soothed, turning away from the approaching parents to lean down, planting a dry, warm kiss on the top of Hikari's head.

Hikari's first view of Amane's mother and father was of their feet. She kept her eyes down, looking at those expensive shoes, until the very last moment. Amane was introducing her, so she was forced to lift up her eyes to meet two pairs of deep, garnet orbs. _Oh, so she gets that from both her parents, _Hikari thought dizzily. But besides that, Amane definitely inherited most of her mother's genetics. They both had slim figures and rich blue hair, though her mother had hers long and flowing over her shoulders. She had her father's muscular grace, height, and solemn, handsome face. Hikari flushed again before bowing so low her hair hung before her face like a curtain as she introduced herself.

Then she was looking up again, waiting for whatever was to happen next.

"We've heard a lot about you, Hikari-san," the mother said. She was smiling, and Hikari took some small comfort in that.

"Where's Tohru?" Amane asked, craning her neck and standing on the tips of her toes to try and look over her tall father. "_She_ didn't come with you?"

"She did," Amane's father said, looking uncomfortable. It was odd for Hikari to see Amane's mannerisms enacted in someone else's body. He shifted his feet and coughed, too polite to show his emotions- just like his daughter. Hikari looked from face to face, wondering what she was missing in this conversation.

"_She_ did, huh?" Amane said, under her breath.

Hikari had a sudden, terrible thought- that this Tohru person was Amane's ex-girlfriend. She suppressed a shiver and held onto Amane's hand all the tighter.

"Tohru decided to explore the campus," Amane's mother broke in. She paused for a moment before adding, "Since... we're transferring her here."

**OoOoOoOo**

"Chikaru-sempaiiiii!" Remon and Kizuna burst into the Lulim club room and struck the "victory" pose, holding up the middle and index fingers to form a "v".

"We've done it!" Kizuna squealed, prancing around the room arm-in-arm with her best friend, gloriously rising up a handful of photographs. "We've completed the assignment!"

Chikaru reclined in her plush chair, red-lacquered fingernails tapping out a steady rhythm on her desk. The Lulim student council president gave her two favorite underclassmen a friendly, yet unrevealing smile.

"Oh?" she said, grinning at them both.

"Yeah!" Remon rushed up to the desk, brandishing her photos like a weapon. "Here we have upperclassman Yaya and second-year Tsubomi competing in one of the fair booths for a stuffed animal- a friendly rivalry born out of mutual respect, and an unrequited love for a certain blond Etoile!"

Kizuna leapt over her friend, pushing her back with one hand while she shoved another set of photos. "Little Kagome-chan walking hand-in-hand with her young brother who's barely old enough to walk on his own- sisterly love!"

Remon, caught up in the moment, pulled a few stacks of paper out of her bag. "We also have evidence of long-distance love- photocopies of the letters you wrote to R-"

Kizuna swiped the papers out of her partner-in-crime's hand and knocked her aside. "Ahahhaa, what Remon MEANS is Nagisa's letters SHE wrote to SHIZUMA." She glared at Remon. "Right?"

Chikaru hid a smile behind one hand. "You mean letters from myself written to Rokujou-san. No need to be bashful about it- you're reporters... But you should know, Miyuki and I are only friends. She _is_ engaged to be married next spring, after all."

Remon struggled to her feet and elbowed Kizuna aside, bunches of photos in either hand as she laughed nervously and tried to change the subject. "Uh, ah, hehe, yeah, right...Look! Look! The rumors were wrong- you've heard those rumors about how that fifth-year Aiko was cheating on third-year Kanako?"

"-And how there was that big fight about it?" Kizuna added.

"-So we did some digging and solved the whole mystery by ourselves!" Remon continued. "It was all a big misunderstanding, but isn't that how it always is?"

"And then..."

Kizuna and Remon looked at each other with matching grins of excitement, two photos held between their trembling hands. Chikaru sat up straight in her chair at the sudden tension in the room, her eyes fixed on the photos.

"What?" she asked. "Is it something good?"

"It's the mother-lode," they said and, bowing as one, they presented the photos to their club leader.

**OoOoOoOo**

"Finally, a little privacy!" exclaimed Shizuma, locking the door and rolling her eyes. She stretched languidly, yawning once. "I spend the entire day traveling only to be pestered by the kohai. Ohhh, I'd forgotten what it was like to be at this school, and it didn't help that your friends the Etoiles decided to change everything around." She sighed once before shooting Nagisa a smile.

Nagisa returned it, her heart fluttering as she stood by the door and watched the silver-haired woman walk around the room, examining the little nick-knacks Nagisa kept on her desk and talking about her trip, and how college life was suiting her even though she missed the simplicity of not having to pick out a different outfit every day. Nagisa thought she looked _very_ good out of uniform, but didn't want to say so. So instead she sat on the edge of her bed, listening raptly to every word Shizuma spoke about her quirky professors and new friends. A whole new life she had made outside of the school...

"Well, hello," Shizuma said at one point, turning around to show Nagisa a lacy black bit of nothing. "I don't seem to recall this the last time I was in your room, Nagisa-chan..."

Nagisa shot up from her bed, her face bright scarlet. "_Shizuma_!" she accused. "You're going through my things?"

Shizuma ignored her, holding the lingerie up to the light. "How come you never wore this for me?" she said, pouting at Nagisa.

"That's... that's... that's, that's..." Nagisa seemed ready to spontaneously combust. "I'm not- it's not like that I-"

Shizuma's smile only grew wider. "Ohh, I get it. You were saving this for when I came back? You wanted to do something special to celebrate, hmm?"

"Ooooh, stop _teasing _me!" Nagisa squealed, stomping out a frantic, angry beat. "You come back after a year and- and I've missed you and- but you're not taking me seriously- and that is _my_ underwear!" she leapt forward, trying to snatch it away.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Shizuma said, holding the panties behind her while fending off the red head with her other arm. She wiggled her finger from side to side. "No, no, no! You have to ask me politely, darling. Or..." she cocked her head to the side. "You could let me keep them."

"They're not your size," Nagisa said, stubbornly reaching for the undies.

"Who said I was going to wear them? I'm starting a collection. It's a-" Shizuma had to scamper away as Nagisa made a mad dash along the room, grabbing blindly. "It's a game. Grab as many panties as you can, but don't touch any boys, they have cooties. Wow, you're-" Shizuma twirled out of Nagisa's reach again, smiling benignly. "-Fast. God, I'd forgotten how cute you get when you're upset. Am I pushing your buttons, Nagisa-chan?" she dropped the underwear, her impromptu game forgotten as she smiled, almost shyly, at her girlfriend. Then she grew solemn, almost as solemn as she was in those first few months when they were still strangers. "I don't like it," she blurted out suddenly. "I don't like to think that I'd forgotten _anything_ about you."

Nagisa cleared her throat, picking up the underwear and putting them away in her drawers on the other side of the room. "Yeah," she agreed softly. "Yeah, it bothers me too."

After that there was an awkward silence, broken only by the faint sounds of the family day fair going on far away. For a few moments, they were strangers again, strangers in an empty room. For a few moments, there was only that- a year's worth of silence spanning the time it took for Nagisa to gather her courage and walk across the room and slip her hand into Shizuma's.

"I still love you, though. I... haven't forgotten that."

"I know." Shizuma squeezed her hand. "I love you, too. Do you want to go to the fair with me? Or I could treat you to something at the cafe or... or we could leave the school grounds for a while and go on a real date. Anything at all, as long as it's with you. Sorry for teasing you," she added, almost as an afterthought.

Nagisa smiled. "It's all right. Let's go to the fair?"

Shizuma nodded.

**OoOoOoOo**

"Ugh! Tsubomi, what the hell did I tell you? Now my T-shirt is all wet again!"

Yaya stomped alongside the wholly uncaring second-year, who toted an oversized water gun propped up against her shoulder. She shrugged. "Well, Yaya-sempai, it's really not my fault if you're careless enough to just waltz in front of the gun like that while I was shooting. You had better go change before you catch a cold- I will not be responsible if your singing voice is forever ruined." She shrugged out of her cream colored jacket and dangled it in front of Yaya.

"You were aiming at me and you know it. Here-" she rejected the offered jacket and snatched the gun away from the girl. "Let me take that from you before you subject someone _else_ to your pervy ways."

Tsubomi stopped in her tracks, her cheeks burning red. "How _dare _you insinuate that I-"

"I ain't_ insinuating _anything. It's not enough to see me get dropped into a huge tub of water every time some punk throws a ball and hits the target, you gotta get me drenched on my time off!" Yaya held the water rifle securely away from Tsubomi. "So that's why I get to do this." She hefted up the rifle and took aim.

"Do wh-shpppllub!"

Amane and Hikari walked into the scene just as the soaking wet Tsubomi was in the middle of screaming obscenities at a grinning Yaya.

"Oh, it looks like you two are having fun," Hikari said, beaming at her two friends and clapping her hands together joyfully.

"Fun? Fun?!" Tsubomi sputtered. "Etoile-sama, you-"

"-Are absolutely right!" Yaya continued for her, pulling her close in a one-armed hug. "Yeah, we have a blast together. Tell Hikari-chan how much fun we have, Tsubomi-chan!"

Tsubomi felt the barrel of the water rifle pressing into her back.

"..._Loads_," she said with the enthusiasm of a cadaver.

"Well, we were wondering if you could help us," Amane said, one hand possessively resting on Hikari's shoulder. As usual, the bluenette seemed not entirely at ease when around the other Etoile's room mate.

"Oh really?" Yaya said. "Will we be exempted from our duties at the family fair if we help? Ehhhh, Hikari-chaaaan?" Ignoring Amane's death grip on the girl, she dropped the water rifle and pulled the blonde into another one-armed hug. "Eh? Eh? C'mon, whaddaya say, Etoile-sama?"

Hikari put her hands on her hips. "You don't get special favors because you're my friend, Yaya-chan," the Etoile said, though the impact of the speech was lessened by the fact that she was blushing. "I have to treat all the students equally."

Amane cleared her throat.

"Oh!" Hikari said, pulling away from Yaya. "Right, right. Um, have you two seen a girl about, um... I'd say a half-a-head taller than Yaya-chan?"

"Quite a few," Tsubomi said.

Hikari shook her head. "No, but she has blue hair, kind of like Amane's, and red eyes. Like Amane," she added, in case there was any doubt that she meant red eyes, like Tamao's.

"So you're looking for a shorter Otori-san?" Yaya asked, raising one incredulous eyebrow.

"If only she were that simple," Amane huffed, one hand to her forehead to contain a throbbing headache. "She's my little sister, and she wants to transfer to Miator."

Tsubomi and Yaya, for once, were in complete agreement- they stared at Amane, open-mouthed an in shock.

"Who in their right mind would want to go to _Miator_?" Tsubomi shrieked.

"And since when did you have a little sister?" Yaya waved her arms at Hikari. "Hikari-chan is your girlfriend, and she's _my_ best friend, and she tells me everything, and I've _never_ heard of any sister!"

"I don't like to talk about my family. You two should change clothes before you catch cold," Amane said, grabbing Hikari's hand and walking away, unusually curt behavior for the white "Prince" of Spica.

"Well whoa whoa whoa! Hold up, I'm gonna help, Hikari-chan!" Yaya said, scooping up the water rifle and tossing it to Tsubomi with a careless, "Here, hold onto this," before running off after the pair.

Tsubomi, left behind in the rush, held out one hand feebly in the direction that the three had gone before being swallowed up in the crowd. "I want to... help... Hikari... too.." she said, her tough facade broken in face of her true timidity. She sighed, once, before turning to go back to the fair. She had left her family to wander the fair on their own since she had duty at the carnival game booths, but now that she had some free time she might as well go find them. Even if she had planned to spend her free time with Yaya, whom she only ever really got to see at choir and the weekly midnight parties...

She was so lost in her thoughts, she paid no attention to the real world until it slammed into her- literally. Tsubomi let out a shriek and toppled over to land on another girl- not a student here, as her blazing red VISITOR sticker and non-uniform clothes plainly said.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow..." she said, quickly getting up and holding out her hand to the girl. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going..."

The girl accepted the hand, pushing round sunglasses up the bridge of her nose. "It's all right, I wasn't hurt," she said. She moved to leave, but then her eyebrows shot up and she reached out to hold Tsubomi's hands in a pleading gesture. "Oh, wait do you go to school here? You're a..." Tsubomi blushed as she felt herself being scrutinized from behind dark lenses. "Spica student, right? Do you know where the library is?"

_Does the sun rise in the east?_ Tsubomi thought. All the students knew where the library was- it was generally where couples went when they needed a dark, quiet place where no one could find them. More than once she had entertained fantasies of one day going there with someone special... like Hikari. She thought it would be fun- the risk of being caught made her heart beat faster. Not that she would ever tell anyone.

"Of course I do," Tsubomi said, more calmly than she felt. She pointed the girl in the right direction. "That's where you want to go- uh..." she realized she didn't know the girl's name.

"Please, call me Tohru," she said.

Tsubomi found herself smiling. "OK. You can call me Tsubomi, Tohru-chan." They shook hands, smiling warmly at each other. "And- ah, well, I could take you to the library, if you would just wait until I change into some dry clothes." She laughed. "I got into a sort of water gun fight."

"Certainly." Tohru was polite, and very beautiful- Tsubomi liked her on the spot, and wondered what family she had here at the Strawberry Dorms.

When Tsubomi came back in fresh clothes they set off, chatting as if they had been friends for life. "So what do you need to go to the library for, Tohru-chan? All the fairs' activities are near the dorms."

"I know," Tohru said, making a face. "All this noise and commotion bothers me, and I'm sort of trying to scope out the entirety of the campus by myself. My parent's suggested transferring here, but..." Tohru fell quiet. "Well, I guess I'm just not sure of the idea of an all-girls school. On one hand it's a good way for me to meet other girls my age- to be honest, the girls at my old school all sort of hate me!" she laughed, humorlessly. "The boys, too."

"And on the other hand?" Tsubomi asked, looking up at her curiously, though on the inside she was dancing with joy. _Ohmigoshmigosh, I'm making friends with this beautiful girl who might go to school here and we get along so great and we're going to the library ok sure she doesn't know what that means but ohmigosh! This is too good to be true!_

It was.

**OoOoOoOo**

And this is just a lil update from me to let ya'll know I'm alive.

Remon: Contrary to popular belief, we didn't take any pictures of Shizuma and Nagisa besides the one of the kiss.

Kizuna: Besides, they weren't doing anything juicy behind locked doors- just quietly celebrating their reunion! But what are they going to do when Shizuma has to go back to college?

Remon: I'm wondering that myself, Kizuna-chan.

Kizuna: What' I'm wondering is when are we gonna show those photos to the whole world!

Remon: And who is this new girl, Tohru? Is she...Amane's...?

Kizuna and Remon: Next time on Strawberry Panic: New Year! Incriminating Photos!

Remon: I can't wait!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** This story is really cheesy and the writing style reminds me of when I first started writing fanfiction. But oh well! There's not much you can do with a school-based anime, unless it's a crazy school like in Ken Akamatsu's _Negima_. So yeah... no evil plots to destroy the world.

**OoOoOo**

_It's still only the first day of the Family Fair, and the new school year is just beginning. _

_It's a shame I can't spend more of my time doing what I want to do, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't fun helping the kohai set up their shops around the campus. Plus, every time I'm off-duty I can go into my club room and work on my newest projects, not to mention it has a great view of the "Throw Pies at the Sister" booth!_

_It's also a shame I didn't propose that idea to the council first. However, you'd be surprised what a few whispers in the right ears will produce…_

_I hope this new Family Fair won't end up as a flop. Otherwise, what else would I have to look forward to when I apply to become a teacher here? Besides the obvious, of course…but when have I ever been satisfied with what I could always predict? Hee hee!_

_Strawberry Panic: New Year_

_Episode 3_

_"Incriminating Photos!"_

**OoOoOo**

"It's the mother-lode," Remon and Kizuna said, bowing as one. They presented the photos to their club leader with outstretched hands, not trying very hard to hide their grins.

Chikaru blinked, taking the Polaroid pictures and flipping through them, her thin eyebrows elevating higher and higher with every new glimpse. "This is…" she said, biting her lower lip. There was a tangible silence in the room as the lowerclassmen waited for her approval.

Finally, she burst out into giggles, helplessly conking her head against her desk. "Wh-what on earth is this?" she gasped, sitting back against her seat with eyes overflowing. "Are you sure you didn't photoshop this?"

"Chikaru-sempai, give us a little credit!" Kizuna said, pouting.

"Does it look like its photoshopped?" Remon wondered aloud, peeking over Kizuna's shoulder to get a better view of the pictures, which were of Hikari and Yaya making out in the library.

"I'm sorry, but…" Chikaru slid the pictures across her desk back to her club members. "…Yes. In journalism, my dears, there is such a thing as stretching the truth too far."

"You asked us for gripping photos for the new school paper!" Kizuna said, sticking her lower lip out further as she whined. Snatching one of the pictures, she continued, "And it sure does look like Yaya is _gripping_-"

Remon smacked her with a rolled up newspaper for her silence, glaring at her.

Chikaru, meanwhile, was busy wiping away her tears of mirth. "You two are always so silly," she sighed, daring another glance at the pictures again before erupting into fresh peals of laughter.

Remon and Kizuna turned identical shades of scarlet. "Well, the original photos weren't any good at all!" Remon said, carelessly tossing another pile of photos onto Chikaru's desk. "They're all blurry and you can't tell who the people are."

"Hehe…" Chikaru took her time looking at the originals, blinking away her tears. "Well, that's easily settled, dear kohai. Watch and learn. One of them is from Spica," she noted, taking a small red marker and pointing an arrow to the tell-tale white uniform. "And the other one is either an off-duty student or one of the… aha! Visitor!" After searching the picture carefully with her magnifying glass left over from the days of the Henshin Club (long since disbanded in favor of the Cosplay Club) she found a white sticker with blazing red letters that spelled out VISITOR. All non-students were required to wear it for the fair.

Sitting back in her chair, she kicked her feet onto the desk, her hands behind her head. "And as you can see from the pile of books at their feet and the awkward positioning of their bodies, they obviously tripped and landed in a compromising position, no passion intended."

The two lowerclassmen blinked.

"_Elementary, my dear Watson_," Chikaru said, in English, before winking at them.

**OoOoOo**

"Hmm? Oh, good! There are computer terminals here!" Tohru said, running from Tsubomi's side further into the library. "I'd die if I wasn't able to check my emails every day."

"Uhuh," Tsubomi agreed absently, looking around her with quick nervous glances. The library was completely empty, except for them. "Well, I hope we don't stay here long," she said. "After all, I have duties to attend to, and I don't think-"

"I need a password..." Tohru said to herself, frowning slightly.

"Log in as "Student" and use "0-0-0-0". It's the default login and password."

"Thanks!"

"...N-no problem."

Already well past the point of being uncomfortable, Tsubomi could only bide her time as Tohru checked her e-mail. Though she tried to remain calm since there really was nothing to be panicking about, she couldn't help but wonder. If Tohru was transferring here, that would give her a reason to see her regularly. Already she was somewhat smitten with the girl and her charming, honestly polite nature. It actually reminded her of someone else, but right now she just couldn't put a finger on the name.

"So, Tohru-chan," Tsubomi said while leafing through an uninteresting book. "If you do decide to transfer here... Well, I may be biased, but Spica is definitely the best when it comes to sports and academics. Lulim is an OK school, but the girls there tend to be slackers. Academically, Miator is better but everyone knows Miator is really just for girls who are destined to be home makers when they grow up."

As she continued her rant, her confidence grew until she felt more like her regular, bossy self.

"Miator is the school with the most tradition behind it," she explained to Tohru, who had turned in her seat to give Tsubomi her undivided attention. "It's proper, prim, an environment that encourages delicate, almost Victorian standards of behavior. Even the uniform looks a little more constricting than the other school's. Even though Spica is younger, if you want a real promising future I don't think there's a better school for girls."

Proud of her speech, she put her hands on her hips and awaited the eager agreement she knew was forthcoming.

"In that case," Tohru said with an apologetic smile, "Miator is probably the best choice for me. What I need most right now is a place that will teach me more how to be a proper lady than anything else."

Tsubomi's jaw dropped. "Wh-What?"

Tohru shook her head. "Besides, if I went to Spica there would be too much pressure from my parents. I already have a sibling here, and she's always been more successful than me. And to be honest..." She smiled, standing up and stretching."I never was good at sports. Older sister was the sporty one." Making as if to leave, she beckoned Tsubomi. "So anyway, come on! I'd like you to meet my family."

"Wait, Tohru-chan!" Tsubomi stuttered, taking a few steps towards her with her hand outstretched to stop her. In her haste, she didn't notice the pile of books near her feet in the gloom of the library and-

CRASH!

"Ow, ow, ow, ow," Tsubomi pushed herself up off the floor, only to realize the floor had suddenly become very squishy and warm. And round.

"Er... Tsubomi-chan.." Tohru said, her cheeks red. "Could you get off of me please?"

Tsubomi recoiled as if she had been burned, leaping to her feet and waving her arms wildly. "Ah, um, sorry! I tripped!" Bowing from the waist, she was glad her curtain of hair hid her cherry red cheeks.

"I had noticed..." Tohru said, laughing awkwardly. Standing up, she straightened out her dress and then gave a sharp gasp as something fell with a _plip_, rolling over to Tsubomi's feet.

Tohru quickly turned her back, turning even redder than Tsubomi, who had picked up the object in confusion. "Um..." she said, suddenly realizing what the jiggly mass was. "Er... I think this got dislodged in the fall."

Tohru wordlessly held out one hand, demanding. Never feeling more stupid in her life, Tsubomi handed over the fake breast so Tohru could even things out with her back turned to the Spica student.

"Don't... tell... _anyone_," Tohru managed to grind out.

"Tohru-chan, it's actually pretty normal if girls our age aren't, uh, developed yet."

"I don't care!" Tohru said, her back still turned. She wiped at her eyes, her voice angry. "If you tell anyone, I'll- I'll make your life miserable!" And with that last outburst, she ran from the library back into the crowded throngs near the fair.

Tsubomi smacked her forehead.

"...shit."

**OoOoOo**

Remon: Well, not a lot happened in this episode...

Kizuna: Except we found out Amane's sister has the same bust size as her older, masculine sister, hahahahaha! Em.. I mean...

Remon: Tohru is just a little bit touchy when it comes to certain shortcomings she has as a lady, I guess. But don't you think she overreacted?

Kizuna: Amane would have handled that with a bit more grace, I think. And speaking of the Etoile, what's the big deal with her little sister coming to school?

Remon: All this and more-

Remon and Kizuna: Next time on Strawberry Panic!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Been a while!

**OoOoOo**

**Strawberry Panic: New Year**

**Episode Four**

**"The White Princess"**

_So what if I'm not as cool as Amane? It's never bothered me how she was always better at sports, how she was always smarter than me. It never bothered me that Mother and Father obviously favored her over me. The older child; the one who should have been born a boy to carry on the family name. She was graceful like a woman, strong like a man, not beautiful exactly, but definately considered handsome. Never uncomfortable in her own skin, she still managed to radiate a feminine quality even though she's considered by many to be the "Prince" of Spica._

_How._

_Terribly._

_Ironic._

**OoOoOo**

Tohru found her sister quite by accident. She bumped into Amane as she stormed from the library in a blind rage, somehow managing to find her way back to the Family Fair. Ramming straight into the tall woman, she stumbled for the third time that day and found herself staring up into the red eyes of the eldest Ohtori child.

Amane was angry. "There you are!" she said, pulling her sister up to her feet. "We've been looking all over for you, Tohru."

"Amane," Tohru said, deadpan. "I'm sorry I inconvinienced you in any way. Do Mother or Father require my prescence?"

Amane blew one strand of blue hair out of her face, reigning in her temper. "...No," she had to admit, but didn't say anything after that. A blond girl, much shorter than Amane and even Tohru, took advantage of the silence and stepped in, bowing nervously to Tohru.

"Ah, ah, um, you're T-Tohru?" she asked, stumbling on the name. Was it too forward of her to start calling Amane's sister by her first name without even introducing herself? She blushed, bowing deeper. "I'm Konohana Hikari. Your sister and myself are the Etoile of the school. I'm pleased to meet you at last, and if you're transferring to this school I'll be sure to do all in my power as Etoile to make you comfortable, Ohtori-san."

"The pleasure is all mine, Konohana-san. Please, call me Tohru."

Hikari beamed, glad that they were getting along. "In that case, Tohru-chan, you can call me Hikari! And if you don't mind me saying, you look just like Amane-sempai. You have the same air of... grace."

She flushed again. "I- I mean, you're very similar."

Tohru had to smirk humorlessly at that. "That's very kind of you to say, Hikari-san," she said.

A black haired girl who was hanging around behind them gave Tohru a nod of acknowledgement. "Yo," she said, leaning on Hikari's shoulder. She hugged the small girl fondly. "Nanto Yaya. Hikari-chan used to be my room mate before she became Etoile. I'm the lead singer in the Choir. Interested in joining? We're always looking for new talent."

"Thank you, but no thanks Nanto-san." Tohru glanced at Amane out of the corner of her eye. "As I'm sure my sister has told you, I plan on transferring to Miator."

"A mistake if there ever was one," Yaya said, bluntly. "Listen, Tohru. Miator is cool and all, but Spica is the way to go if you want a real future."

"Yaya-chan!" Hikari elbowed her friend. "If she wants to go to Miator, that's her decision. Lots of our friends go to Miator, remember? Like Nagisa-chan?"

"But you gotta admit, Nagisa-sempai really isn't the sharpest tool in the box..."

The next thing Yaya knew, strong hands were holding her shoulders from behind and a familiar voice was speaking. "Excuse me, Nanto-san... I don't think I heard you correctly. WHO isn't the sharpest tool in the box?"

Yaya squeaked and whirled around to see the most beautiful woman Tohru had ever seen standing there, a red head at her side. It was Nagisa and Shizuma, of course, but Tohru couldnt know that. Nagisa winced, aplogizing silently to Yaya from behind Shizuma.

"Etoile-sa- I mean, Hanazono-san?! I didn't know you were back!"

The former Etoile carelessly flipped her long silver hair out of her face. "I came to visit Nagisa-chan on Family Day, of course. That's not illegal, is it? After all, if I'm not considered her family, I'm not sure who is."

"How wonderful! I was afraid no one would visit Nagisa-chan this year, what with her parents off in some foreign country!" Hikari clapped her hands together joyfully. "This here is Ohtori Tohru, Amane's little sister. She'll be going to your school soon, Nagisa-chan."

"Maybe we'll be room mates?" Tohru said, bowing in greeting to Nagisa.

Everyone but Shizuma and Tohru burst out laughing at that. Shizuma looked upset; Tohru was confused.

"Not likely," Yaya said, her voice dry. "Not unless you're willing to fight for it."

"I kind of already have a room mate," Nagisa finished, smiling weakly.

"Speaking of which, I think I see her right now." Amane squinted over the crowds, seeing a familiar bluenette making its way towards her. "Tell her I said hi. Tohru, I need to speak with you privately for a moment."

**OoOoOo**

They stood outside the church: little sibling, big sister. Amane leaned against the stone wall, her arms crossed and her eyes closed.

"You realize the risk in this, don't you Tohru?" she asked, her voice soft.

Tohru stood with her hands clasped in front of her, her face unreadable from behind her dark sunglasses. The younger Ohtori smiled, a thin smile that said nothing.

"This isn't a joke."

"Do I look amused, older sister?"

Amane clenched her jaws. "As Etoile, I can pull the strings to get you into Miator. But no one can learn of your secret, understand?"

Tohru's expression became cold. "I think it's you who doesn't understand, older sister. While you've been safe here at Spica, surrounded by people who adore you, I've been in a public school back home, getting thrashed on a daily basis because I'm..." she lifted her hands, making finger quotations. "...'Gay.' I bet the only reason our parents want me in this school is because they'll hope I'll fall for a girl and be normal."

Amane frowned. "You really think that's why they're allowing it?"

"Think about it." All of a sudden, Tohru's voice had changed. Normally sweet and high, it deepened into a lower pitch...

..the unmistakable voice of a young boy.

Tohru continued in his real voice, tucking his long blue hair behind one ear. "They're desperate for me to act like the gender I was born into," he said, bitter. "It's a half-baked plan, honestly. The girls here would like me because they think I really am a girl. Already, some girl from Spica was tripping over herself trying to impress me. You would think I was the "White Prince" of Spica, the way she was acting."

Amane had to laugh at that. "As if you could ever be a Prince."

Tohru adopted her female voice again, rapidly making the switch to the gender he wished he could be. "Of course not, older sister," she said. "I would be insulted. If anything, I'm a Princess."

"...I'll get you into Miator, if you really think you can manage it."

"Oh, I can manage it." Tohru smiled. "And who knows? Maybe I'll fit into this lesbian environment better than anyone thought..."

The last rays of the setting sun flickered over the mountains in the distance. The red glow diminished, and then disapeared entirely, leaving the two siblings to navigate their way back home in darkness.

**OoOoOo**

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...! Ah...! Ah...!"

"Hehe..."

"Ahh... ahhh!!"

"Remon-chan, I think she's going to..."

"Don't stop her!"

"AAAHHHH CHOOOOOO!!!"

Kizuna's eyes slammed shut as she sneezed violently into a napkin. Remon cheered, jumping into her chair and waving her arms around. "Hah hah hah! I am the winner of the Family Day Staring Contest!"

Chikaru raised one eyebrow. "I suppose it counts as a technical win," she said, making a mark under Remon's name on the chalkboard. "We'll continue this tomorrow."

**End of Family Fair.**

**OoOoOo**

Remon: This is unprecedented in the history of the Strawberry Dorms! A guy? In OUR dorms? What are his parents thinking, sending him to Miator!

Kizuna: Only time will tell what happens next, in the penultimate chapter of Strawberry Panic: New Year!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: This is the second-to-last chapter of New Year, but who knows? Maybe when I have more free time… I'll write a sequel! One more chapter after this one, peepz. Enjoy.

**OoOoOo**

**Strawberry Panic: New Year**

**Episode Five**

"**The Threesome Debate"**

_That insufferable whore Shizuma has returned to disturb my peace of mind once more. I had thought when she moved off to college she would find some other girl to smother with her unwanted affections, but no. She seems still to be dead-set on taking away the only girl I could ever want: Nagisa Aoi. By now of course my feelings are in the air. Open. No longer is it a carefully guarded secret hidden by the veil of "Best Friends." That was what had made me lose last time- shyly keeping my feelings to myself, not wanting to burden Nagisa with that sort of drama. All the while, there was Shizuma groping her in public or wooing her in the comfort of her own house. And somehow, Nagisa fell for it. _

_I had let her go because she wanted to go. But that wasn't the end of it, you see. I know the value of waiting. When Nagisa decides she wants to come back, I'll let her because it's her that wants to do so, not because I dramatically swept her off her feet and gave her no other choice. The door is still open, Nagisa. It'll always be open._

**OoOoOo**

"Can someone _please_ tell me why she's still here?"

Tamao gripped her lunch tray tightly, so tight her knuckles stood out sharp against her skin. Yaya patted her on the shoulder consolingly, and Hikari shuffled her feet. Tsubomi shrugged, a carton of low fat milk in one hand. She rarely ate lunch at the cafeteria anymore, sticking to a new diet. Jabbing a straw into the carton, she sipped for a moment, watching Nagisa and Shizuma at their own table being lovey-dovey.

"Well," she said after a long moment of this, "They are girlfriends. It's only to be expected."

"Damn you and your logic," Tamao said in response, taking halting steps towards their normal table while unable to tear her eyes away from Nagisa and Shizuma. "Still though. Family Day was ages ago! Doesn't Shizuma have college to attend to? Why is she being so irresponsible and-"

"-and re-capturing Nagisa's heart while you're left in the shadows again?" Yaya finished, mouth full of French fries. She munched as she spoke. "Really, girl, you gotta- nyum, nyum- get over Nagisa-chan already and- om, om, om- get laid or something." She paused to swallow. "Cause we're getting tired of your constant emo bullshit."

"Yaya-chan!" Hikari's voice raised a few pitches in horror. "Don't listen to her, Tamao-chan! We understand how you feel…We really do."

"We just don't know why you're still holding on," Tsubomi said, discarding her milk carton. "I mean, even Yaya gave up on Hikari-sama already."

"Tsubomi-chan!" cornered on both sides by oppositions to her constant upbeat attitude, Hikari's cheeks turned bright scarlet. "Both of you, behave!"

"Yes, Etoile-sama," they intoned, sticking out their tongues at her.

"What they're trying to say, Tamao-chan…" Hikari placed a hesitant hand on the bluenette's shoulder. "Is you shouldn't let it get to you."

"…It doesn't matter." Forcing herself to smile, Tamao rolled her shoulders in a shrug. "Let's just eat lunch. Does anyone have their French notes on them? I'm having a little trouble with my assignment." Effectively changing the subject, the bluenette led the way to their normal table, not too far from where Shizuma was engaged in loud conversation with her young girlfriend.

"Oh hey! Tamao-chan!"

And now said girlfriend waved at her, beckoning the group over to their table. "Come and eat lunch with us! We're feeling lonely!" Though Shizuma seemed a bit off-put, she made no comment as Tamao rapidly zipped over to the table, casually resting her tray in the seat between the two other girls. Effectively cutting Shizuma off from Nagisa, the bluenette smiled at her room mate.

"Nagisa-chan, you don't happen to have your French notes handy, do you?" she asked, her back turned on Shizuma.

"Huh? Actually, I do. They're right here in my bag. Do you need help, Tamao-chan?"

"Help would be most appreciated."

The other three girls sat down at the table with matching expressions of exasperation. Shizuma rolled her eyes heavenward when she realized she wasn't the only one who noticed Tamao's overt, hostile behavior. Hikari frowned, Tsubomi shrugged again, and Yaya merely cocked one eyebrow up and said, "Hey there, Shiz. What's up?"

"…Not much, Nanto-san." Shizuma, perhaps irked at how casual Yaya always was, bit her lower lip. "But it's been far from boring. I'm still on break, so I can come here every day from my house nearby to visit the campus."

"And me!" Nagisa said, breaking away from her private French discussion with Tamao to smile with eyes gooey and full of adoration.

"And you." Reaching over Tamao's shoulder, Shizuma trailed her hands over Nagisa's round cheeks in a loving gesture. She quite purposefully smacked Tamao on her way back. Tamao's eyebrow twitched but she managed to keep her composure, which was saying something.

Yaya sat back in her seat, kicked her feet up onto the table, and smiled with her milk straw in her mouth. She chewed on in thoughtfully as more polite banter struck up around the table. All around the round table the tense atmosphere began to slowly drain away and soon it was as if nothing were amiss. After about fifteen minutes, Amane and her young sister Tohru even joined, though Tohru sat as far as possible from Tsubomi as politely possible. Tamao and Nagisa finished their French homework together and joined in the conversation, waving their hands animatedly and laughing like best friends should.

But no one could ignore the death glares the bluenette and the silver-haired one shot each other whenever they thought no one would notice. Yaya, finally tired of it, spat out her straw and sat forward in her seat again, eyes shining maliciously.

"You know what?" she said, one arm around Hikari's shoulder. "I just thought of something Nagisa might find interesting."

Nagisa blinked and tilted her head to the side in confusion while the other two gripped the edge of the table, wary at whatever plan Yaya had concocted because she was bored. "Now, we all know you aren't the best of friends. To put it mildly, you're always at each other's throat over one thing or another when we all know you're really arguing about Nagisa."

"Yaya-chan…" Hikari started, voice low, but Yaya squeezed her against her side, silencing her.

"So I came up with a great solution."

"Nanto-san…" Shizuma began to get out of her seat.

"You guys should have a _threesome_."

Tsubomi wordlessly placed her hands over her face, shaking her head in disbelief.

"It's an easy solution to all your problems."

Amane and Tohru ate their lunches. Amane asked if her sister could pass the salt and the younger Ohtori obeyed, the very picture of duty and honor rolled up into one petite frame. Amane thanked her, red eyes vacant as she gazed out the cafeteria window to admire the beautiful afternoon outside with one hand on top of Hikari's under the table.

"The only solution, really. You both get Nagisa, and Nagisa gets the ride of her life. And if you guys make a video I wouldn't mind a copy for my own personal enjoyment, if ya know what I mean."

For once, Shizuma and Tamao, neither of them idiots, were struck dumb. The two girls looked at each other, ashen-faced, as unwelcome mental images began to run through their minds. As one, they pushed their lunch trays away and excused themselves from the table, each of them headed for opposite sides of the cafeteria to find separate restrooms.

"Looks like they don't approve," a voice mused. The group turned to see Chikaru standing with her own tray in hand, smirking. She sat down at their table, spearing a forkful of salad from her plate. "Mind if I join you ladies?"

"I don't understand," Nagisa said instead of answering, chin in her hand and forehead creased in a frown. "What's a threesome?"

**OoOoOo**

"_You_."

Tamao froze, in the middle of the courtyard, wiping at her mouth with a washcloth and wondering if her face was as green as she felt. Shizuma stood on the opposite side, dabbing at the corner of her lips with a kerchief and looking a little unsteady on her feet. The two girls glared at each other with narrowed eyes, tensing for an all-out brawl.

"You are the last person I want to see right now, Hanazono. Don't act as if I followed you."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you did, you little freak."

Tamao's hands clenched at her washcloth without her telling them to. "Whore," she spat.

Shizuma's lips curled up into a humorless smirk. "Nagisa doesn't seem to mind. Actually, she kinda likes it."

"Somehow I doubt Nagisa likes the idea of you having slept with just about every girl on campus."

"Including you?" Shizuma quipped, but under her breath. There was no one around but them, since most of the students were in the library or the cafeteria at lunch hour. "She never did say no to the whole threesome idea, and they do say when you sleep with someone you've slept with everyone they've done before. Hey wait!" She made a fist with one hand, slamming it into the palm of her other hand as a sudden idea came to her. "So in a roundabout way… you banged Nagisa! You should be _thanking_ me, dear."

Tamao grit her teeth. "That was a _long_ time ago. And it only further deepens my conviction that you're a horrible person and you don't deserve Nagisa-chan."

Shizuma shrugged, lips pressed thinly together. "Whatever you say. I love her. No insult you throw at me is ever going to change that."

"I love her, too. And no amount of time is ever going to lessen it."

"Keep on thinking that. In the meantime, I have more important things to do than waste my time with you."

"Fine."

"_Fine_."

Shizuma thrust up her middle finger as she walked past Tamao to the lunch room, and Tamao merely stood there with her head held high and her blue eyes blazing with righteous anger.

**OoOoOo**

"Seriously though, what's a threesome?"

Chikaru patted the girl on her head, smiling a maternal smile. "If you don't know by this age, dear, it's probably best if I don't tell you."

"Yeah. Yaya-sempai was just being an _idiot_." Tsubomi made a noise of disgust in her throat.

"Hey, they stopped fighting, didn't they? Sure it was to go spew chunks, but…"

"That wasn't very nice, Yaya-chan," Hikari said, sadly looking down at her untouched meal.

"Funny as hell, though."

"Lunch is always so amusing with you around, Nanto-san," Tohru said with a demure smile. Yaya beamed at the compliment, shooting a smug smirk in Tsubomi's direction.

"Yeah, well…" Tsubomi got to her feet, face aflame. "Whatever. I'm gonna go get ready for my next class!" without a word of farewell, she left the cafeteria in a grand huff… which was an almost everyday occurrence so no one paid much attention.

"Rather high strung, isn't she?" Tohru speculated.

"She's just a little…" Yaya nodded her head from side to side, mouth twisted as she wracked her mind for a proper adjective. "_Uptight_ sometimes."

"Yes, tightly wound. " Amane nodded, still holding Hikari's hand under the table.

Yaya's face brightened up again and she grinned wickedly around the table. "Wait wait wait a minute. Is it just me, or was each of those statements an innuendo for bondage?"

"It was just you," the table monotoned, already tired of her antics for one day. They got up as one and left the table, carrying their trays off to toss out anything they didn't eat. Yaya was left at the table with her arms out in an entreating gesture before she sat back in her chair with her arms crossed to sulk.

"No sense of humor," she muttered.

**OoOoOo**

Leave. Leave. _Leave_. Just leave me alone already. Go back home and never come back here again!

"I don't often see you praying, Tamao-chan."

Tamao jerked upright, knocking her head against the lamp on her desk as she sat up straight. The bluenette turned to her room mate, rubbing the back of her injured noggin with a wounded expression. "Ah.. I wasn't praying," she said, which was almost the truth. "I was just thinking really hard about something."

"Ohh." The red head nodded wisely, her pillow clutched tightly to her chest in an innocent, girly pose. She was sitting on her bunk, peering over the top of the feather pillow at Tamao. "OK, then. Don't think _too_ hard, though. You're gonna get wrinkles if you keep up with that angry expression you had a moment ago."

"I looked angry?" She had thought that her emotions weren't betrayed by her face that often.

"Yeah or… I dunno. Intense. Is something wrong?" Getting off her bed, Nagisa set the pillow aside and perched herself on the edge of Tamao's desk, dark eyes shimmering with worry. "You know you can tell me anything."

"It's nothing, Nagisa-chan. I'm just tired." Pencil in hand, Tamao tried to concentrate on the homework in front of her but her mind kept on returning to the silver-haired woman on the campus. Nothing would make her happier than for that whore Shizuma to just leave her in peace. She'd robbed her of virginity and her true love Nagisa. Tamao would be damned before she let Shizuma steal her sanity as well.

"Then go to sleep." Ever the voice of reason, that Nagisa.

"Not that tired."

"Then don't go to sleep?" Nagisa smiled sheepishly.

"Sounds like a plan. Need any help with Algebra?"

"Nope. I got it all down, I think. Need help with French?"

Tamao laughed. "It's so strange. That used to be your worst subject, and look at you now. No, I don't need any help, Nagisa-chan. Thank you."

"Well…" she let her legs dangle from the desk, her hands on her knees as her feet swung back and forth. A pleased smile was on her face, and her gaze seemed distant. "Shizuma really made me like it. I dunno, after she started teaching me more, I started to see a lot of things I liked about it that I didn't notice before. It's such a pretty language."

"Yeah." Visibly deflating at the mention of Shizuma, Tamao gripped her pencil tightly. "Sure is pretty, all right."

"Welllll…" Nimbly hopping off the desk, Nagisa flounced back down onto her bunk. "If you're gonna be up all night studying, keep the lights on as bright as you need. They don't bother me. I'm gonna go to sleep."

"I won't be up long," Tamao promised, closing her text books. "You know what? I'll just go to bed now. These formulas aren't due till Wednesday anyway." Shutting off the lights, she clambered into her own bed, yawning hugely. "G'night, Nagisa-ch…."

She blinked in surprise when Nagisa hopped into her bed, quickly making herself comfortable under the covers. Wrapping her arms around Tamao's waist, the red head resting her forehead in the space between Tamao's chin and shoulders. "I feel like I've been ignoring you, Tamao-chan," she said against Tamao's neck. Carefully, the bluenette put her own hands around her room mate, holding her securely against her own frame. "Ever since Shizuma's been here, I've been a bad friend, haven't I?"

"Of course not." Tamao pressed her nose against soft flowery smelling hair.

"I have, though. I just… don't want you to think I don't love you anymore."

"You're overreacting, Nagisa-chan," Tamao chided her gently. After a carefully maintained silence, she added. "…been a while since we've slept together, though…"

"You wanna?"

"I'd love to."

"…OK." And without further ado, Nagisa closed her eyes and was promptly snoring against Tamao's chest. Tamao took a while longer to fall asleep, quietly memorizing the feel of Nagisa in her arms, wishing the love Nagisa had for her was as more than just a friend.

**OoOoOo**

"Have you noticed something strange about that new girl?"

Tsubomi looked up from her books, not quite sure why her heart was beating so fast. It was almost dark outside, and Yaya was lounging in the library with her, not really doing anything but glad for the company since Hikari and Amane had excused themselves to go find a more… "secluded" area of the library to "study" long ago. Carefully chewing her words before spitting them out, she said:

"No."

Genius, girl. Genius.

Yaya was leaning against a bookshelf, frowning in thought with an unopened book in her hand. She swung it back and forth, her long dark hair forming a curtain around her face as she stared up at the ceiling. "The other day I overheard Ohtori-sempai talking to the physical education teacher, telling her how Tohru can't swim or something. It was just… kind of weird. How does a girl that age not know how to swim? And isn't this safe environment the best place to learn? Amane's reasoning seemed a little shaky."

"Maybe she's just shy." Tsubomi wondered if Yaya could see right through her. "You know. Um. Bodily problems."

"Still…" Yaya sighed. "I was rather looking forward to seeing if the younger Ohtori looks any better in a swimsuit than the older one."

Tsubomi flushed, closing her book with a snap and getting to her feet. "I dunno," she said, still trying to control herself before she slipped up. "But I guess it's really none of our business. Anyway, I'm gonna-"

As she tried to leave, Yaya gripped at her wrist tightly, pulling her in close and holding her there by wrapping her free arm around the younger girl's waist. With her usual lack of respect for personal space, privacy, and acting decent, Yaya's leering visage filled up all of Tsubomi's sight.

"You know something you're not telling meeee…" Yaya said in a sing-song voice, playing with the tendrils of Tsubomi's long pink hair. She wound it up in the fist still holding the girl close to her. "C'mon, Tsu-Tsu-chan. Spill it. What do you know about the new girl?"

"_Nothing_," Tsubomi said, already red as a cherry and struggling feebly to get away. "Now let me go, Yaya-sempai! People might get the wrong idea!"

"Oh yes." Yaya cocked one eyebrow high. "Cause there's soooo many people watching us right now. Why're you getting all flustered, Tsubomi-chan?"

"Because you're acting _indecent_." Tsubomi glared at the older girl.

"And you love it. Now tell me everything or I'm going to tickle you so bad your ancestors'll feel it! Why're you siding with the new girl instead of me? You got a crush on her or something?"

"No!"

"So then tell me!" Yaya adopted a pleading tone, letting Tsubomi go to clasp her hands together as if in prayer. "Please? Pretty please?"

"Gossip-monger," Tsubomi accused, taking a few steps back.

"Gossip-whore," Yaya corrected. "I don't wage war with it, I horde it like a dragon. So come on? Who would I tell? Please? Please? Please? Puh-leeeease?"

Tsubomi simply couldn't take much more of this. "FINE! She…" Tsubomi swallowed a nervous lump. "She… has… she wears…" Leaning closer after checking to make sure no one was looking or listening in, she whispered into Yaya's ear. _"She wears fake breasts."_

Yaya's mouth was agape in a wide, uncharacteristically girly smile. "Omigosh, I love you now."

It was Tsubomi's turn to smile, though rather bitterly. "Didn't you always?" she asked dryly.

"Mmm, not particularly." Sashaying past Tsubomi, Yaya made to leave the library. "Now come on, if you're leaving I'm leaving too. Those two love birds aren't likely to leave the conference room anytime soon, and I'm damn tired."

"Hey!"

Tsubomi hurriedly gathered all her things, rushing to catch up with Yaya. She needn't have worried though- Yaya was waiting for her just outside the library doors, one hand on her outthrust hip and a small smile on her face. "Come on, slowpoke," she said when Tsubomi caught up.

"You're… so… mean…" Tsubomi said between breaths, lugging along all of her studying material and books. Yaya didn't reply at first, merely smirking in the semi-darkness of the setting sun. Then, as they grew closer to the dorms, she grabbed Tsubomi for the second time that night, dragging her to the side and into the privacy of the woods. All of Tsubomi's things flew out of her grasp and she opened her mouth to shout "Baka!" at Yaya but found that she couldn't breathe, let alone talk, because Yaya was making her lips comfortable on top of Tsubomi's, holding the girl tighter than she had before.

"It's only cause I love ya," Yaya said, drawing away after what felt like an eternity. She smiled at Tsubomi's dumbstruck face, running a finger gently along the girl's lips.

**OoOoOo**

**A/N:** And that, my friends, is why I don't support Shizuma/Tamao, but why I do support Yaya/Tsubomi!


	6. Chapter 6

-1**Strawberry Panic: New Year**

**Chapter Six**

**In Days to Come**

_I don't know what to think. I don't know what to say, or do, or... or... anything. Everything is so jumbled in my mind it's all I can do to pretend there's nothing going on. As though there isn't any turmoil in my heart and in my soul. I've always respected Yaya-sempai, admired her for her voice. And of course, Yaya is cool. Yaya just radiates a confidence I can only hope to emulate with my stuffy nature and my prim and proper manners._

_I don't know what to do._

_No one's ever done anything like this to me._

_Is it insane to call it love? Yes, it is insane. I don't even know her that well. I just can't stop thinking about her because of my rampaging teenage hormones. Barely teen. I only turned fourteen yesterday, it feels to me. Why, why, why? Why me? Why her? Why now?_

_...Why not?_

**OoOoOo**

"Hell-ooo, Tsu-Tsu-chan!"

Tsubomi was fortunate that she had already finished drinking her milk, because when Yaya snuck up behind her chair in the lunch room she clenched the carton as a knee-jerk reflex, sitting with her back rigid and Yaya's mouth against her ear. Then she felt two arms snake around her shoulders, holding her with promise. "You know, I'm beginning to wonder when we're gonna go out on a real date," Yaya purred. "Or do you not like me anymore?"

With a squeal of the chair legs dragging across the floor, Tsubomi jerked away from Yaya to wildly look about the room. No one paid much attention. Yaya smirked and pulled up a chair of her own to sit next to the kohai, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in her palms as she gazed at the pink haired girl.

"What?" she said shrewdly. "Am I getting you all hot and bothered?"

"Sh- shh!" Tsubomi hissed, tossing aside her milk carton to grip the edge of the table, her eyes darting from place to place. "You- you shouldn't speak- I mean people might..."

"...think that we're going out?"

"Yeah!"

"...Right." Yaya reclined back in her chair, one eyebrow cocked up. Then, without warning, she shot to her feet and cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting out to the world. Every head turned in surprise as the normally chatty environment was rudely interrupted. "HEY EVERYBODY! GUESS! WHAT! TSUBOMI IS GAY!"

There was a dead silence. Then someone said, "Dude, everyone here is gay." There was scattered laughter at this remark and slowly the air filled again with the sounds of gossip and school girl chatter. Yaya smirked again, turning to see Tsubomi's face only to realize that Tsubomi had shot out of the lunch room faster than the proverbial bat shot out of hell. Groaning in disbelief, Yaya followed her most likely route of escape and soon found her walking stiffly towards the dorm with her backpack dragging along behind her.

"Hey hey hey!" Yaya shouted, jogging up to walk next to the girl. "What's the matter? I was just showing you there's nothing to be scared of." Tsubomi kept her face averted and said nothing, her feet stomping hard and purposeful against the ground. Frustrated, Yaya hop-skipped to walk in front of her, turning around so that she walked backwards with her face to try and peek up at Tsubomi.

She was shocked to see the girl fighting back tears.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," she said, pulling Tsubomi to a stop in order to hug her tightly, but not before quickly glancing around to see if anyone was watching. "What's wrong? You're ashamed of me or something?"

"No," Tsubomi sniffled against the older girl's shirt. "I just wish you'd consider my feelings before you do stupid things like that!"

"It was just a joke!"

"Well, I didn't like it!" Tsubomi pushed away to rub furiously at her face. "I wish you didn't take this so lightly when it's not. It's _not_, OK?" Glaring up at Yaya, she tried to inure herself to the hurt look on the brunette's face.

"…OK," she said, holding up her hands for peace. "I'm sorry."

Without warning, she lunged at the girl and cuddled her with a large grin on her face. "So let's kiss and make up!" Tsubomi was torn between laughing out loud and shouting out a scathing insult when Yaya made good on her word and planted a big wet kiss on Tsubomi's lips.

"Aahh! _Baka_!"

Yaya took off running with Tsubomi hot on her heels, hopping along as she took off one shoe to hurl it at the retreating, maniacally laughing girl.

**OoOoOo**

"So you're really leaving, huh…"

Shizuma smiled apologetically at her girlfriend. "I'm sorry Nagisa, but I do have classes of my own to consider."

They were in Shizuma's mansion, Nagisa sitting on the edge of the woman's bed as she watched her pack to go back to Tokyo. Though she did her best to remain chipper, no one could have been fooled by the sorrow in her eyes. She didn't want Shizuma to leave, not so soon after her return from such a long absence.

"You've got to visit more often," she said, lying back on the bed so she didn't have to watch. "And write more letters, less E-mail."

Shizuma chuckled. "Yes, Master," she said, shutting her suitcase and locking it with a decisive snap. "If I can manage it, I might just fly over one long weekend."

Nagisa blinked as she felt a sudden weight on the mattress, and Shizuma's face looming over her.

"Now what am I going to have to do to make that frown go away, huh?" the woman asked, cupping Nagisa's face with one hand.

Nagisa reached up, grabbing at Shizuma's arms to keep her there. "Stay."

"I can't."

"I know."

They held each other for a long time after that, not saying anything but praying deep in their heart that this day could last a little longer.

**OoOoOo**

"Are you having any troubles with the other girls?"

Amane and her sister were in the library. Tohru was studying for Algebra and Amane was simply there to spend time with her younger sister, since Hikari was busy with choir duty. Tohru smiled, gently closing the book to look up at the older Ohtori.

"Trouble? No. Well…" She paused, closing her eyes in thought. "Now that you mention it, half my class are trying to get my clothes off. Not in that sense!" she quickly added when Amane stood straighter with a look of alarm on her face. She seemed ready to go mount her horse and charge off in defense of her little sister's honor. Tohru laughed. "I just mean they've never seen me out of uniform. And your excuse about the swimming gear is only making them rabid with curiosity. It's kind of…" she blushed, averting her eyes to busy herself with studying again. "It's rather cute, if still annoying."

"Don't tell me you've decided to go straight on me, Tohru."

"Straight? Wouldn't a girl liking other girls be considered a lesbian?"

"You _know_ what I mean."

"I think it's you who doesn't understand, Sister." Tohru gathered up her books to leave. "I'm comfortable here in Miator. I have friends, a modest social life, and am keeping my grades up. What more do you want? For me to become some sort of idol? The next Etoile?"

"Actually," Amane said, pulling on her sister to stop her from exiting the library. "That's exactly what I have planned for you."

Tohru blinked.

And then she grinned.

**OoOoOo**

The Lulim Trio- Kagome, Remon, and Kizuna- were bored mindless. Though their hyperactive imaginations were usually rampant this time of the day, when all the classes were done with, right now it was all they could do to sprawl out in their club room and stare at the ceiling in listless inactivity, yawning every so often and taking cat naps.

"Oshibaru, I wish there was something going on," Kagome said mournfully to her bear.

"Yeah," Remon said wistfully, "Last year was so crazy with all those tangled love triangles, this year is so…"

"Bo-o-o-ring!" Kizuna finished, waving one finger in the air in a lazy circle.

"That's because you're not using your heads!"

The three jumped up in surprise to see their ringleader in the doorway, a magnifying glass in hand. Chikaru strode into the room like a woman with a mission, her chin up and eyes sparkling. "Get out there and find something drenched in drama!" she demanded. "The Henshin Club is going to live on in all of you when I'm gone, and I want this last year to go with a bang!"

The three looked at each other, clueless.

Chikaru clucked her tongue pityingly, shaking her head from side to side. "Here's a start," she said, tossing an old newspaper at them. Kizuna leaped for it but she missed and it smacked her on the head on it's way to Remon's waiting grasp. As the green-haired Lulim student read, Chikaru reclined on her desk with a devious grin on her face, observing her three pupils with the knowing eye of a goddess.

"What," she said, "Can you tell me about the Ohtori family?"

**OoOoOo**

**The End…?**

**OoOoOo**

**A/N: **Dun Dun Dun! What awaits our heroines in the future? Only time, and maybe a sequel, will tell!

Thanks for sticking through with this. Love you all! Bye for now!


End file.
